Its fair to say that the iPhone has moved the benchmark on what a mobile phone can be forever. Unprecedented usability for a touch screen device and backed up with it own endless supply of applications that will do everything from fart to monitor your insulin, all tied together with a little bit of iPod culture. Its downfall has always been the mobile network infrastructure that makes it tick and in the UK that is all about to change.
O2 have been the sole supplier of the device in the UK since its launch however that is going to change with both Orange and Vodafone signing deals with Apple to supply the iPhone and the possibility that this will open to all networks later
The above iPhone advert that still shows the “Only on O2” was band in the UK due to Apple not making it clear that the internet speeds on the handset are “subject to availability”. Its that “availability” that has let down a lot of Apple customers when it come to the handset giving them everything they wanted from the £200 they handed over.
So if you thinking about jumping on the iPhone band wagon or you’ve renewing to the latest version; who should to be going with? The networks are going to be dragging in customer with shinny new iPhone talk plans. This however is nothing new and the reality of it is that each network is going to be about the same with some pro and cons regardless which network you may go with. As always Apple will be dictating the price on the handset something you just going to have to live with. Customer service is the next thing to consider but you hear about horror stories from customers on any and all of the UK mobile operators… Just face it none of they will ever get it right every time; you just need to hope and pray that it doesn’t go tits up on your watch. The reality of it is that as long as your provider is giving you true unlimited data the new decider is going to be who is going to have the best “subject to availability”?
According to Ofcom Orange currently have to best 3G coverage in the UK so on face value seem like the best option although not all of that coverage fully supports HSDPA. If however you consider the joint partnership between Orange and T-Mobile that was announced recently it could make for a network in the uk that will give us an mobile infrastructure worthy of the iPhone.
